I currently hold a position of leadership and can attest to many of the points made by Beverly Hancock in "Developing New Nursing Leaders" (Perspectives on Leadership, June).

I didn't see myself as a leader or management material until I was asked to take on this role. I had so many doubts and feared failure. At the time, I was new to the organization and the area and hadn't yet built relationships with the staff. Plus, I still had so many questions about being a staff nurse that I wondered if it was right to move to the next professional level.

Now I'm all too aware of the lack of nurses willing to step up and take on leadership roles. There are only a few who can take my place if I need to be out, making it difficult to staff the unit adequately. It's important that nurses realize they don't have to go into management to be leaders. On our unit, the nurses involved in the shared governance committee provide valuable leadership to the rest of the staff by introducing information and helping to implement new practices.

Many times, when nurses take one step toward leadership, they will take another. I hope this article inspires them to take this first step, because it will benefit them both personally and professionally. It will also strengthen the units on which these nurses work and the nursing profession overall.

Ingrid Butler, RN

Charlotte, NC